Paddling aquatic toy



Dec. 28, 1965 P. E. OBERG PADDLING AQUATIC TOY Filed June 17, 1965 AWE/V70? 5), 241/: 5 052-?6 Dam/am M. SELL firm/WE) United States Patent ()ffice 3,225,491 PADDLING AQUATIC TOY Paul E. ()berg, Minneapolis, Minn. (3231 W. 83rd St., Bloomington 31, Minn.)

Substituted for abandoned application Ser. No. 800,193,

Mar. 18, 1959. This application June 17, 1963, Ser. No.

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-245) This invention relates to aquatic toys and more particularly relates to a self propelled aquatic floating toy. Specifically, this invention relates to an animated toy figure paddling an aquatic floating craft such as a boat or raft and preferably a canoe.

It is an object of this invention to provide a paddling mechanism for an animated toy figure, which paddling mechanism imparts an efiicient, effective and lifelike paddling movement to such animated figure in propelling an aquatic craft.

It is another object to provide this unique paddling mechanism in conjunction with a lifelike animated figure paddling a canoe wherein the mechanism serve as part of the skeletal structure for such animated figure.

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages which will appear as the following description proceeds are achieved by this invention, a preferred embodiment of which is disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an Indian paddling a canoe in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partially schematic view of the paddling mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the canoe of FIGURE 1 with parts of the canoe being broken away for clarity of detail and the underlying skeletal supporting framework of the paddling Indian figure being exposed to disclose the relation of the paddling mechanism to the animated paddling figure; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail it is to be understood that like parts will be referred to with like reference characters throughout the drawing.

Turning first to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a lifelike figure of an Indian paddling a canoe 12 by means of a paddle 14 carried by the figure.

The means by which paddling motion is transmitted through the arms 11 and 13 of the figure 10 to the paddle 14 is disclosed most clearly in FIGURE 2, the paddling mechanism, including the arms 11 and 13 grasping the paddle 14, being shown divorced from its supporting framework to facilitate illustration and description thereof. This mechanism comprises two parallel oscillating rods 16 and 18 respectively. The ends of these rods form the shoulders on the paddling Indian figure 10 of FIGURE 1. To one end of the rod 16 is connected rigidly, either as a separate unit or integrally therewith, a rod 20 forming the upper arm of the right arm 11 of the paddling figure. The forearm of the right arm 11 of the paddling figure is formed by a rod 22 pivotally attached a at 24 to the upper arm rod 20 thereof to provide an elbow joint and the free end of the forearm rod 22 is swingably or pivotally joined to the central portion of the paddle 14 as at 26.

To oscillating rod 18 on the end thereof opposite the arm carrying end of the rod 16, there is rigidly attached, either as a separate unit or as a unit integral therewith, a rod 27 forming the upper arm 28 and the forearm 30 of the left arm of the paddling Indian figure 10. The upper arm portion 28 of the rod 27 is angled across the front of the body of the paddling Indian figure 10 and the forearm portion 30 of this left'arm forming rod 27 extends generally across the chest area of the paddling Indian figure, being roughly parallel to oscillating rod 18, and is pivotally attached at its free end as at 32 to the upper end of the paddle 14. The forearm portion 30 of the left arm 13 is rigidly joined to the upper arm portion 28 thereof and the left arm swings in anup and down are in direct response to the oscillation of the rod 18. The upper arm 20 of the right arm of the paddling figure oscillates forward and backward in direct response to the oscillation of its supporting oscillatory rod 16; however, the forearm 22 of the right arm 11 being pivotally jointed swings both forward and backward and up and down in accordance with the oscillating movement of'the upper arm 20.

Means is provided to oscillate the rods 16 and 18 approximately 90 out of phase with one another. While this means may take many forms, a preferred structure is shown wherein each oscillating rod 16 and 18 has fixedly attached and downwardly extending from the free end thereof an actuating rod, designated for the respective oscillating rods 16 and 18-respectively, by the numerals 34 and 36. The lower end of each of the actuating rods 34 and 36 is bifurcated as at 38 and 40 respectively whereby the lower end of each of these actuating rods is provided with a guide slot, 44 and 46 respectively.

A rotatable driven shaft 48 disposed below and preferably between the oscillating rods 16 and 18 is provided with cranks 50 and 52 respectively. trails crank 52 by approximately 90; the cranks 50 and 52 ride respectively in the guide slots 44 and 46 and oscillate the rods 16 and 18 in response to rotation of-the driven shaft or rod 48, the direction of rotation being counterclockwise when viewed as in FIGURE 2.

A driving mechanism 54 is provided for rotating the driven shaft 48, this mechanism shown being illustrated as a small electric motor 56 carrying a worm 58' on the driveshaft 60 thereof which worm in turn drives a worm gear 62 on the driven shaft 48, the shaft 48'rotating in response to actuation of the motor 56.

Many other driving mechanisms are feasible, and in the event a spring-wound motor is utilized, the driven shaft 48 may carry a fly wheel and be geared to a driveshaft which is spring-wound. Also, in place of gears, other equivalent means may be used as for example pulley and drive belt arrangements.

In FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the oscillatingrods 16 and 18 and the rest of the operating mechanism are carried on a suitable supporting framework 64 which framework, in conjunction with rods 16, 18, 20, 22 and 27, forms the skeletal structure of the paddling figure 10 in the canoe 12. The oscillating rods 16 and 18 p are rotatably journaled in suitable bearing at the top of the framework 64, and extend across this framework, projecting beyond the ends thereof to form the shoulders of the skeletal figure within the canoe. The driven shaft 48 is journaled through suitable cross pieces 65 on the supporting framework 64 with the crank arms 50 and 52 riding within the guide slots 44 and 46 of the bifurcated ends 38 and 40 of the actuating rods 34 and 36 respectively.

The driving motor 56 is carried on the supporting framework 64 in the central portion thereof with the drive-shaft 60 extending upwardly so that the terminal worm 58 thereon contacts the worm gear 62 on the driven shaft 48 mounted thereabove. Leads 66 and 68 lead respectively to a push-pull switch 70 and a battery contacting terminal structure 72 on the floor of the canoe. Upon actuating of the switch 70 to make contact with Patented Dec. 28, 1965- Crank 50 the terminal 74 of the contact structure 72, current flows from the batteries 76 disposed and housed within the canoe to actuate the paddle operating mechanism and oscillate the rods 16 and 18 and thereby put the canoe in motion.

In FIGURES 3 and 4, two batteries 76 are illustrated as housed within a covering 80 swingably pivoted and held normally in covering position by a torsion spring held pin 82 or the like to the floor of the canoe. It is to be understood that the number of batteries to drive the mechanism and the type of housing, if any, are primarily matters of choice as is,.in fact, the choice as to whether or not the device should be battery-driven, or manually-driven as by spring winding or the like.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the paddle 14 is in what may be termed its rearward average position, just coming out of the water. As the driven shaft 48 continues to rotate, the crank arm 52 will rotate clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 3, lifting the left arm rod 27 to move the paddle 14 in an upward arc while the right arm forming rods 20 and 22 move the paddle generally vertically upwardly. Thereafter, as the driven shaft 48 continues to turn, the tip of the paddle will move forwardly while remaining out of the water approximately along the dotted path 78 indicated. On the return stroke of the paddle, left arm rod 27 swings in a downward arc while rods 20 and 22 move the paddle reaward through the water so that the paddle, following the dotted path 78, enters the water smoothly on the downstroke and continues in a smooth ever deepening curve rearwardly until the penetration of the paddle in the water reaches its deepest point. At this point the rearward movement of the rod 22 is almost at a maximum and the rod 27 begins its upward arc very sharply, almost vertically lifting the paddle 14 out of the water. Thus at the deepest penetration of the paddle in the water the right arm rods 20 and 22 are pulling the paddle 14 at its maxium propulsive force, and thereafter the paddle is lifted out of the water by a sharp upward movement offering little drag to the forward movement of the canoe.

While the paddle path indicated by the dotted outline 78 is a highly desirable one, this path may be varied and made more egg shaped by suitably bending the arm forming rods relative to one another or by changing the phase relation of the cranks 50 and 52 relative to one another or by reversing the direction of rotation of shaft 48 without seriously affecting the lifelike paddling motion. However, the path illustrated shown for the movement of the paddle is preferred and imparts an effective, efiicient lifelike paddling motion to the paddling figure in the canoe.

Returning for the moment to FIGURE 1, it will be observed that as the paddle 14 is moved by the paddling figure the left arm 13 of the figure 10 crossing the chest area of the figure moves upwardly and downwardly in a very realistic lifelike arc while the right arm 11, being jointed, drives the paddle in an effective propelling motion through the water. This arrangement of oscillating rods 16 and 18 and paddle driving arms 11 and 13 provides a paddling motion believed unique to this invention.

The parts may be formed out of wood, metal or plastic or a combination of these materials as desired. The paddling figure may take any form desired, a paddling Indian and canoe having been chosen for illustrative purposes. By reversing the paddling mechanism on a second supporting framework, paddling figures may be provided at each end of the canoe. Further, the oscillating rods can be coaxially disposed rather than parallel as shown. The Indian forming shell 10 including the paddle grasping hands may be fitted over the supporting framework 64 and operating rods, and provides a simple means for imparting realism to this toy.

Since numerous minor changes and modifications will occur to these skilled in the art after a perusal of the foregoing specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, it is not intended to limit the invention to the preferred embodiment shown and described, and it is to be understood that the invention includes within its compass all suitable modifications and changes which fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A paddling mechanism for an aquatic toy comprising, a supporting framework, a pair of spaced parallel oscillating horizontally disposed rods rotatably carried by said framework, a pair of arms, said arms being rigidly attached at the shoulders thereof to opposite ends of said rods, one arm being substantially rigid throughout its length and terminating in a free end disposed adjacent and forwardly of the shoulder of the other arm, said other arm being jointed, having the upper arm portion thereof extending downwardly from the shoulder and the forearm portion thereof pivotally jointed at its connection to said upper arm portion and extending forwardly therefrom to a free end terminating below the free end of said rigid arm, a paddle pivotally connected at its upper end to the free end of said rigid arm and at its mid portion to the free end of said jointed arm for swinging movement in a single plane as said rods are oscillated, driving means carried by said framework for moving said oscillating rods, operating means interconnecting said driving means and said oscillating rods for rotating said rods in opposite directions for a portion of their oscillating movement whereby the rigid arm raises and lowers the paddle while said jointed arm oscillates said paddle in a paddling motion, said operating means comprising a pair of actuating rods rigidly attached to the free ends of said oscillating rods and extending downwardly therefrom, said actuating rods having bifurcated ends forming guide slots, a driven rod extending between said actuating rods and having terminal cranks slidably riding in said guide slots, said cranks being about out of phase with one another.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1922 Gordon 4692 7/1956 Starr 4692 

